81 FR 57806 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Atka Mackerel in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 164 (August 24, 2016)

Page Range		57806-57806
FR Document		2016-20317

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the Central Aleutian district (CAI) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) by vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2016 total allowable catch (TAC) of Atka mackerel in this area allocated to vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 164 (Wednesday, August 24, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 24, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 57806]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-20317]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 150916863-6211-02]
RIN 0648-XE833


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Atka 
Mackerel in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the 
Central Aleutian district (CAI) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
management area (BSAI) by vessels participating in the BSAI trawl 
limited access fishery. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding 
the 2016 total allowable catch (TAC) of Atka mackerel in this area 
allocated to vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access 
fishery.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), August 19, 2016, 
through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
BSAI exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan 
for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area 
(FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under 
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act. Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with 
the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
    The 2016 TAC of Atka mackerel, in the CAI, allocated to vessels 
participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery was established 
as a directed fishing allowance of 1,421 metric tons by the final 2016 
and 2017 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (81 FR 
14773, March 18, 2016).
    In accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional 
Administrator finds that this directed fishing allowance has been 
reached. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka 
mackerel in the CAI by vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited 
access fishery.
    After the effective dates of this closure, the maximum retainable 
amounts at Sec.  679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a trip.

Classification

    This action responds to the best available information recently 
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 
NOAA, (AA) finds good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior 
notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set 
forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such a requirement is impracticable and 
contrary to the public interest. This requirement is impracticable and 
contrary to the public interest as it would prevent NMFS from 
responding to the most recent fisheries data in a timely fashion and 
would delay the closure of the Atka mackerel directed fishery in the 
CAI for vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. 
NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment 
because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of 
August 18, 2016. The AA also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay 
in the effective date of this action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). This 
finding is based upon the reasons provided above for waiver of prior 
notice and opportunity for public comment.
    This action is required by Sec.  679.20 and is exempt from review 
under Executive Order 12866.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: August 19, 2016.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-20317 Filed 8-19-16; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

57806 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 164 / Wednesday, August 24, 2016 / Rules and Regulations

■ 2. In § 635.21, add paragraph (c)(1)(iii) §§ 635.21(c)(1)(iii), 635.22(a)(3), and this directed fishing allowance has been
to read as follows: 635.24 (a)(10). reached. Consequently, NMFS is
* * * * * prohibiting directed fishing for Atka
§ 635.21 Gear operation and deployment
restrictions.
[FR Doc. 2016–20157 Filed 8–23–16; 8:45 am] mackerel in the CAI by vessels
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P participating in the BSAI trawl limited
* * * * *
access fishery.
(c) * * *
(1) * * * After the effective dates of this
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
(iii) Has pelagic longline gear on closure, the maximum retainable
board, persons aboard that vessel are National Oceanic and Atmospheric amounts at § 679.20(e) and (f) apply at
required to release unharmed, to the Administration any time during a trip.
extent practicable, porbeagle sharks that Classification
are alive at the time of haulback. 50 CFR Part 679
* * * * * [Docket No. 150916863–6211–02] This action responds to the best
available information recently obtained
■ 3. In § 635.22, add paragraph (a)(3) to RIN 0648–XE833
read as follows: from the fishery. The Assistant
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA,
§ 635.22 Recreational retention limits.
Zone Off Alaska; Atka Mackerel in the (AA) finds good cause to waive the
(a) * * * Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands requirement to provide prior notice and
(3) Vessels issued an HMS General Management Area opportunity for public comment
Category permit under § 635.4(d) that pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
are participating in an HMS registered AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such a requirement
tournament, vessels issued a Swordfish Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and is impracticable and contrary to the
General commercial permit under Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), public interest. This requirement is
§ 635.4(f) that are participating in an Commerce. impracticable and contrary to the public
HMS registered tournament, vessels ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. interest as it would prevent NMFS from
issued a HMS Angling category permit SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed responding to the most recent fisheries
under § 635.4(c), or vessels issued a fishing for Atka mackerel in the Central data in a timely fashion and would
HMS Charter/Headboat permit under Aleutian district (CAI) of the Bering Sea delay the closure of the Atka mackerel
§ 635.4(b) are required to release and Aleutian Islands management area directed fishery in the CAI for vessels
unharmed, to the extent practicable, (BSAI) by vessels participating in the participating in the BSAI trawl limited
porbeagle sharks that are alive at the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. This access fishery. NMFS was unable to
time of haulback if swordfish, tuna, or action is necessary to prevent exceeding publish a notice providing time for
billfish are retained or possessed on the 2016 total allowable catch (TAC) of public comment because the most
board, or offloaded from, the vessel Atka mackerel in this area allocated to recent, relevant data only became
during that trip. vessels participating in the BSAI trawl available as of August 18, 2016. The AA
* * * * * limited access fishery. also finds good cause to waive the 30-
■ 4. In § 635.24, add paragraph (a)(10) to DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local day delay in the effective date of this
read as follows: time (A.l.t.), August 19, 2016, through action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). This
2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2016. finding is based upon the reasons
§ 635.24 Commercial retention limits for
sharks, swordfish, and BAYS tunas. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: provided above for waiver of prior
Steve Whitney, 907–586–7228. notice and opportunity for public
* * * * *
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS comment.
(a) * * *
manages the groundfish fishery in the This action is required by § 679.20
(10) Notwithstanding other provisions
BSAI exclusive economic zone and is exempt from review under
in this paragraph (a), vessels issued a
according to the Fishery Management Executive Order 12866.
permit under this part that have pelagic
Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea
longline gear on board or on vessels Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
and Aleutian Islands Management Area
issued both an HMS Charter/Headboat
(FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Dated: August 19, 2016.
permit and a commercial shark permit
Fishery Management Council under Alan D. Risenhoover,
when tuna, swordfish, or billfish are on
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
board the vessel, offloaded from the
Fishery Conservation and Management National Marine Fisheries Service.
vessel, or being offloaded from the
Act. Regulations governing fishing by
vessel, are required to release [FR Doc. 2016–20317 Filed 8–19–16; 4:15 pm]
U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP
unharmed, to the extent practicable, BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600
porbeagle sharks that are alive at the
and 50 CFR part 679.
time of haulback.
The 2016 TAC of Atka mackerel, in
* * * * * the CAI, allocated to vessels
■ 5. In § 635.71, add paragraph (d)(20) participating in the BSAI trawl limited
to read as follows: access fishery was established as a
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with RULES

directed fishing allowance of 1,421
§ 635.71 Prohibitions.
metric tons by the final 2016 and 2017
* * * * * harvest specifications for groundfish in
(d) * * * the BSAI (81 FR 14773, March 18,
(20) Retain, possess, or land porbeagle 2016).
sharks that were alive at the time of In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii),
haulback as specified in the Regional Administrator finds that

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Document Created: 2016-08-24 03:03:08
Document Modified: 2016-08-24 03:03:08

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Rules and Regulations
Action		Temporary rule; closure.
Dates		Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), August 19, 2016, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2016.
Contact		Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228.
FR Citation		81 FR 57806
RIN Number		0648-XE83

81 FR 57806 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Atka Mackerel in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 164 (August 24, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration